Just over six months since they finished second in 2008’s X Factor, JLS are finally launching their new single Beat Again as well as putting the final touches to their debut album. Credited with upping the Sex Factor of the show, the quartet have also been busy touring with Lemar and dealing with female adulation nationwide. We interrupted a Krispy Kreme-laden afternoon to talk screaming fans, getting buff and whose colour top is selling the most…
It’s been six months since the X Factor final - what have you been up to?
Oritse: “We’ve been recording, doing video shoots and performing all round the country on the X Factor tour and then with Lemar. It’s been great and there’s real JLS-mania out there.”
We saw you with Lemar at the Royal Albert Hall - it must have been quite an experience going from near-obscurity to playing there…
Marvin: “It was, although we’ve been performing in front of thousands of people doing the X Factor Arena tour too. But working with Lemar was incredible - he’s a great inspiration to us…”
We saw lots of screaming girls wearing your JLS tops at the gig - how has that been?
Aston: “It’s incredible - really! We did the Soccer Six football tournament a few weeks ago and the whole east side of the stand was just a sea of JLS jumpers which was unreal. Now everywhere we go we see people wearing JLS t-shirts which is amazing…”
You had football trials when you were younger - did you remember your footballing skills?
Aston: “I haven’t played for about five years so when I got on the pitch it was difficult trying to remember what to do with this round ball but it was great fun - we scored some goals too so bring on next year!”
Oritia: “We didn’t win but our fans didn’t seem to care…”
You all have your own colour of top - which is the most popular?
Marvin: “Green!”
JB: “Marvin would love to think so, but it’s actually blue which is Aston. He’s the youngest and the cutest so it stands to reason…”
Aston: “There are spreadsheets that tell the answer and green is the worst-seller…” (Laughs)
It seems that you’ve all been to buff school - how many hours have you been spending in the gym?
JB: “We honestly don’t have much time to go to the gym at the moment, but we keep in shape with our performing. We’ve got a crazy dance routine in our new video for Beat Again and there’s a couple of abs flashes in it too so it’s good to have six-pack for those!” (Laughs)
Tell us about the new single Beat Again…
Marvin: “The track is about a guy who’s just been dumped by his girlfriend - it’s pretty upbeat and the video was great fun to shoot too. Fingers crossed it will be a big hit…”
What about the album - is that done and dusted?
JB: “No, we’re still writing and recording in the studio at the moment, getting as much material as possible and choosing the best tracks. We love the creative side so it’s been fantastic doing this as a group.”
Is it original material or will we see some covers thrown in too?
JB: “Mostly original - we might have one or two covers.”
Aston: “We’ve got the singles sorted, so now it’s down to us to write the rest of the album.”
Will the singing duties by split out equally or will it be Aston-fronted, as it was on the X Factor?
Oritse: “There’s no hard and fast rule - all four of us will be singing on the album but some songs might have us all, some might just have one or two vocals. It’s really all about choosing the best style of vocal for the style of song and showing what JLS is all about.”
Are you sick of the sight of each other yet?
Oritse: “We were together for a year before the show, so if that was going to happen I think it would have done so a long time ago!”
If you could be the love child of any two artists, who would it be?
Aston: “Jamie Foxx and Mariah Carey - then my mum could give me some singing lessons too!”
JB: “Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston.”
Oritse: “Tina Turner and Lenny Kravitz.”
What’s the most-played song on your MP3 player?
Aston: “Kiss Me Thru The Phone - SouljaBoy.”
Oritse: “Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas.”
Watch JLS’s new single Beat Again…
JLS’s new single Beat Again is out on July 13th.
(Clare Lydon)
